Contributed by Joanne Ozaki-Moore | Helping Hearts and Hands – 2016 Spring/Summer
Music’s Impact on Dementia has come under a local study in Skagit County
Music’s Impact on Dementia has come under a local study in Skagit CountyThe theory of this study is that community members who live with chronic disease appreciate living a quality of life on a daily basis. Helping Hearts and Hands organized a music and memory demonstration project with three care facilities that serve dementia residents. We expected that music of the person’s liking would probably sooth, calm and redirect agitation and other negative behaviors.
Conducting the Study
First of all, family involvement began with a dinner and discussion about what we wanted to accomplish. We reviewed the process which included the use of head phones and iTunes/shuffles to capture each participant’s favorite music.
- Two/thirds of the memory care communities purchased head sets and iTunes for their residents.
- One hundred percent of the residents in the sample had iTunes filled with favorite music identified by family members.
Encouraging Results
One hundred percent of those in the study demonstrated positive behaviors to favorite music. First, residents’ conduct indicated recognition of the music. Second, their behaviors demonstrated alertness and happiness. These behaviors included a change in posture and foot tapping in sync with the music. Also, facial expressions demonstrating happiness, smiles, and relaxed facial expression evidenced pleasure. Furthermore, tapping fingers on an armchair demonstrated mental awareness and response with a beat. In addition, normally nonverbal persons showed responsiveness by humming to or singing with the music.
One participant demonstrated agitation one evening. and it was decided to try music instead of anti-anxiety medication. The outcome was that the resident relaxed and calmed down. Therefore, we used no medication intervention.
Conclusion
In conclusion, familiar music brings people living with Alzheimer’s and other dementias to a happy place in their past. Music brings them back to that memory where they find joy.
Finally, there is a DVD available, called Alive Inside, by Michael Rossato-Bennett. This particular study further demonstrates music’s impact on dementia-related behaviors.
